1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to pierced earrings.
2. Description of Related Art
Earrings typically come with two types of fasteners, clip on or pierced. Pierced earrings include a post that is inserted through the ear lobe and held in place with a spring clip. Pierced earrings provide a more secure attachment to the ear than "clip ons" and are therefore preferred by many wearers.
The posts of pierced earrings are frequently constructed from steel or another similar type of material. Steel post can irritate and even infect the ear lobe of some users. Although using gold post can eliminate the physiological reaction of pierced earrings, gold is relatively expensive and therefore economically impractical for many users.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,154,068 issued to DiDomenico; U.S. Pat. No. 5,018,365 issued to Luceno and U.S. Pat. No. 4,067,341 issued to Ivey all disclose earring assemblies that include a sleeve that is inserted into the lobe of an ear. The post of an earring is inserted through the sleeve and fastened to the ear by a spring clip or other fastening means. The sleeve is typically constructed from gold or another material that will not irritate or infect the ear. Although effective in protecting the ear hole, the prior art devices are limited and do not provide for the concept and technique of versatility. It would therefore be desirable to have a pierced earring assembly that would provide versatile structural support and protection that is commensurate with the size and weight of the earring.